Online PR News – 25-June-2014 – Spokane, Wash. – On Saturday, Amy Doneen became a doctor. Not in the colloquial sense, perhaps—she’s a nurse, not a physician—but literally. Doneen earned a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) from Gonzaga University, and was the first student ever to earn such a degree from Gonzaga.

Doneen is no newcomer to Gonzaga or its nursing programs. She previously earned her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), nurse practitioner degree from Gonzaga. With this degree, Doneen went on to found the Heart Attack & Stroke Prevention Center in Spokane, where she remains medical director and nurse practitioner. Since 2002, she has given more than 600 presentations to medical groups worldwide, explaining the Bale/Doneen Method for preventing strokes, heart attacks, and diabetes.

Most recently, Doneen has been working on a book. Beat the Heart Attack Gene was published in February by Wiley. The book explains that all strokes and heart attacks are potentially preventable, and it arms readers with steps for taking control of their heart health.

According to Doneen, people often wait until they’re diagnosed with diabetes, for instance, before undergoing certain tests—however, she says, “we can know 20 years before that time if we actually have risk for premature vascular disease.”

For over 30 years, Gonzaga’s nursing students have become leaders in their respective fields. The university is thrilled to introduce a new option to the doctor of nursing practice, the post-baccalaureate pathway, which will help the school better serve a broader spectrum of students. Faculty and staff are, of course, incredibly proud of Doneen, as well as excited to see what the rest of her classmates will accomplish after their own graduation ceremonies.

To learn more about Gonzaga’s top-ranked DNP program, visit http://online.gonzaga.edu/online-doctor-nursing-practice